The Witches Coven
by tanith2
Summary: At a convention at the studios, Oded gets caught up in the dangerous world of the occult.


  
Disclaimers – I do not own Oded or Arnold and this is purely fiction and I do not wish to offend anyone so don't sue me. And in this story neither man is married so as to cause NO offence to their wives.  
  
THE WITCHES COVEN  
  
It started off as a typical October 30th, the eve before halloween. There was a mummy convention just outside London and Tanith had managed to find out which hotel some of the actors were in. It was being held at Shepperton studios and the hotel was not far from there.  
Checking in, she went into the lounge and ordered a tea and something to eat. She had already met Arnold and Oded the year before but didn't think they would remember her, they met so many people. She cared about them both but more so for Oded.  
Surprisingly there were very few there, a couple of girls who wanted to see Brendon and a group of weird looking people in the corner. She got talking to Tony who served behind the bar.  
  
"They are a weird looking lot" she said.  
"You could say that. There is a witches coven about 5 miles from here, at a big country house. Been here for years and they belong to it. Because it's Halloween, they are having one of their sabbets tomorrow night."  
"Oh right, I'm into Wicca, quite good really, all to do with nature, better than religion"  
"No, these aren't anything to do with Wicca, these are into the black arts, the occult, proper black magic. You know, the devil and all that. We tried to stop them staying here but the manager is scared of them. So we have to grin and bear it"  
"I'm not into that, wouldn't touch it with a barge pole, too dangerous" replied Tanith.  
  
He gave her the tea and continued to wipe up some glasses while he talked to her.  
  
"Actually one of them is an Oded fan, she has a t-shirt on with his picture on it. So they maybe here to meet him" he said. "But I think the actors should be warned about who they are before they start talking to them. I certainly wouldn't trust them"  
  
Tanith asked him why after he had served someone else at the bar.  
  
"About 5 years ago, they were here, same night and they got talking to this young man. The next morning, his body was found in the woods by the house. It had been partially drained of blood and there were rope burns on his arms, legs and neck. They knew who had done it but couldn't prove it. No-one ever got charged with his murder"  
  
As he went to serve another customer, Tanith looked up and saw that it was Arnold, who played Imhotep in the movies. He looked at her and smiling, came over.  
  
"Tanith isn't it, how are you?" he asked.  
"Hi Arnold, didn't think you would remember me"  
"I'm good with faces" he replied "Can I get you a coffee or anything?"  
"No, thank you, I have one at the moment"  
  
He asked if he could sit down and they talked for a while. They noticed they were being watched by the group in the corner. Tanith told him what Tony had said, he was shocked that this still went on.  
  
"Well what are we going to do?" asked one of the men in the group.  
"It has to be a young man, Arnold is too old for this"  
"Does it have to be one of them?" asked one of the girls.  
"No, it's just that it would make more impact if we could get one of the actors" the man replied "But we have to do it before it gets dark tonight. The first ritual takes place at 10pm and we have a lot to do"  
"Hey what about that one, he is in the film, young good looking. He'll do won't he" said the other girl.  
"Just the job. You go and talk to him, bring him over and we will take it from there" said the man.  
  
Arnold had to go and get changed for the autograph session at the studio in an hours time and then come back to get ready for the convention that started at 5pm. Saying goodbye she decided to get changed and go over herself. There were others from the films she wanted to meet. As she went out of the door to get a taxi to the studio, Arnolds car pulled up.  
  
"Come on, I'll give you a lift" he called out.  
  
Thanking him, she got in the car and they drove off. Back in the hotel, the girl had gone to the bar to talk to the actor.  
  
"Hello Oded" she said "I'm Kat"  
"Hi, you here for the convention?" he asked.  
"Yes, I love the films and you and Arnold are my favorites"  
"Thank you"  
"Would you sign a photo for me, we really stay that long"  
"I shouldn't really but as you ask so nicely, sure" he replied.  
"The photo is over here, do you mind"  
  
They walked over to where the others had been but only the man sat there now. Oded sat down to sign the picture, not seeing the man put something in his coffee, which he had brought with him.  
  
"There you are, is that okay?"  
"Thanks Oded, that was very kind of you" she said.  
  
He stayed there for a few minutes to finish his coffee and then made his excuses.  
  
"I have to go, I have to be at the studios in a while, nice to have met you"  
"It was nice of you to spare the time" said the man "Kat plagued me to bring her here"  
  
Oded said goodbye and went to get up. He had to grab the back of the chair as a wave of dizziness hit him. The girl reached for him as he swayed.  
  
"Oded, are you alright" she asked seemingly concerned.  
"I'm not sure,….I feel strange…..I"  
"Sit down a minute, you might feel better" said the man.  
  
The man helped him into the chair. As he did so, Oded passed out. There was no-one in the lounge by that time, even the barman had disappeared. Lifting him between them, they got up and using the door beside them, carried him outside and round to their van parked just outside the hotel.  
They bundled him in the back and getting in the front, drove off towards the country house. He would be out for quite a while so they didn't have to worry about him trying to escape when he came round.  
Arnold and Tanith arrived at the studios, they drove in and Arnold got out and spoke to the man on the gate then got back into the car. He handed her a pass.  
  
"Put this on, then you can go where you like" he said  
"Arnold you don't have to do this, I'll wait with everyone else"  
"You are my guest for this, okay" he said.  
  
She thanked him and they went in. Parking the car, they went round to the David Lean building first, where some of the actors were gathering. He introduced Tanith to John, Steven and Brendon and some of the others.  
She was pleased because she got the autographs first and meant she wouldn't have to take someone elses place in the queue. About half way through the session, Steven came over and spoke to Arnold. Tanith was standing a little way behind him.  
  
"Arnold do you know what happened to Oded. He should have been here by now"  
"Well he was at the hotel, we saw him before we left. Something obviously came up, he doesn't normally miss these things" replied Arnold.  
"I phoned the hotel and no-ones seen him. Oh well, I'll find him before the thing tonight" said Steven.  
  
By the time they got back to the hotel, Oded still hadn't been seen. Tony the barman had gone off duty and would be back about 7pm. Another man was there, so no-one knew that Oded had spoken to the group in the corner, earlier that afternoon.  
  
"I've asked around and he hasn't been seen since this afternoon" said Arnold. "I don't know what could have happened to him"  
"I was going to ask Tony but he won't be on till 7pm. Look I tell you what. You go to the convention and I will stay here for a while. See if Oded comes back, if not I'll have a word with Tony and then meet you down there"  
"You sure. Okay if he comes back, tell him to get to the studio. I'll see you later"  
  
Arnold went and got changed and then left in the car that had been sent for him. They didn't want them driving themselves for the evening show.  
At the house, the group of people got out of the van and while some went inside, two of the men went and got Oded out of the back. They carried him in, still unconscious and upstairs to one of the bedrooms. Laying him on the bed, they tied his hands and feet so that he could not escape if he came round early.  
Going into the big room at the back of the house that opened out to the woods, they got the altar and regalia ready for use later on.  
  
"He is still out?" asked Peter.  
"Yes, he will be for at least another 4 hours. By the time he comes round we will be ready to take him to the woods for the first ceremony" replied the count.  
  
Count Alucard was in charge of the coven and he told them to eat well and rest for a while. Then they would perform the first part of the ritual, bring him down and start the rest.  
Kat arranged all the things on the table beside the altar and covered it with a cloth. Then she draped a black and red cloth over the altar and arranged the chains that would eventually hold Oded. A candelabra with black candles was put at each end, ready to light. On the wall behind the altar was an enormous cross, upside down to signify that the black arts were performed there.  
About 6pm, the doors to the room opened and a group of men and women entered, dressed in red robes from head to foot. The Count in the front was dressed in black and red. He moved round to the other side of the altar. Each person came up and getting a black candle, kissed it and lit it from the main candles.  
  
"Blessed Satan, join our coven this night and do our bidding"  
  
This was said by each member and then they moved round into a circle and sat down. They would have an hour of meditation and praying to the devil before the main things started. Two of the group were up with Oded, one inside the room the other outside, just in case.  
  
Back at the hotel, sue was sitting in the lounge dressed in a long black dress, waiting for either Oded to come back or Tony to come on duty. Tony was first, she went over to have a word.  
  
"Hello, I thought you would be at the studios by now" he said.  
"I would have been, look Oded hasn't been seen since this afternoon. Do know where he went after we left."   
Well, I got him a coffee, then one of those girls came over and spoke to him. The rest of the group had gone, there was only her and guy left. The phone rang, so I answered it out the back. I was gone about 20 minutes, when I came back in the place was empty. I assumed he had gone to get changed"  
"If he had, he disappeared after that. No-one has seen him. Arnold and Steven were a bit worried, now I am. Look, get us a tea would you please, then I'll go to the studios, if you see him tell him they are looking for him"  
  
While he was getting her drink, she walked over to where the group had been sitting, she didn't know what she expected to find but something worried her and she couldn't quite put her figure on it. There was nothing obvious there but as she went to go back to the bar, she noticed a small phial on the floor. She picked it up and sniffing it, she pulled a face. Whatever was in there smelled horrible. Walking back to the bar, she fiddled with it while waiting for Tony to come back.  
  
"Thanks, look, I found this by the chair over there, any idea what it is?"  
  
Tony took it and smelt it, then his face changed.  
  
"This is a knock out drug. What on earth is it doing here?"  
"Oh my god, you don't think that group have taken him. You said they were having a ritual tomorrow because of Halloween and remember what happened to that other man"  
"Well if they have got him, there is not much you can do. The police round here won't get involved and you will never get near the house."  
"That's a very negative attitude. If he is up there, he could end up dead, we have to do something"  
"Look, don't get involved, he could be alright. It is too dangerous to go up there uninvited. Things happen up there, no-one will go near the place from round here"  
"I'm sorry Tony, but I will do something and I will find someone who will help. I love Oded and I won't see anything happen to him"  
  
She hurried out of the hotel and getting a taxi, headed for the studios to find Arnold. It took her a bit of time because there was a lot of people going in. As she had a pass, she was directed to the right instead of the normal car park. She paid the man and he left as she walked round to the David Lean building. There were hardly any one there, most had gone over to the big hanger where the mummy set was and where the convention was being held.  
She showed her pass to one of the men and he showed her where the actors were. Most were busy but she spotted Arnold over the other side of the room that had been Evy's house. Going over she tapped him on the shoulder.  
  
"Arnold, sorry to interrupt but I need to speak to you urgently" she said.  
"Give me two minutes, I'll meet you over there" he replied.  
  
When he came over, she grabbed him and pulled him outside, where it was quiet.  
  
"Look I know you wanted me on my own but…."  
"Not that, I think I know where Oded is" she said.  
  
She explained to him what had happened and showed him the phial. He undid it and smelt it.  
  
"Let's find Steven."  
  
They couldn't find them at first, then spotted them talking to someone from the press. They couldn't interrupt that, the press would want to know what was going on. Arnold told the security to give them a message to meet them at the David Lean building and that it was a matter of life and death.  
Tanith and Arnold walked out and round to the building while the security guard went and gave steven and John the message.  
  
"What's this all about?" asked Steven.  
"That was the message sir, a matter of life and death they said."   
"Okay thanks, come John let's find out what is going on"  
  
Tanith was pacing up and down and Arnold grabbed hold of her to stop her.  
  
"Look we'll find him, don't worry. You care about him don't you?"  
"Yes, not in the way you think, but I do care. I'd be too old for him"  
"Arnold, what's this all about" said Steven coming in with John.  
  
Tanith and Arnold explained what had happened at the hotel earlier that day and what had been found and what had been said by Tony.  
  
"And you think he is up there?" asked John.  
"Yes, I do and if he is, he is in danger from these people. They have already killed once that we know of."  
  
Steven walked up and down thinking for a few minutes. Then he grabbed the phone and dialled a number.  
  
"Stan, it's Steven, get my car and bring it round to the Lean building, then take the night off….Yeah, I have to go somewhere and will drive myself…..okay thanks, see you in a minute"  
"What are we going to do?" asked Arnold.  
"The only thing we can do if everyone else is too scared to, go up there, find out what is going on and find Oded. What time does the ritual start, do you know?"  
"I think about 10pm leading up to midnight, at least that is what Tony said" replied Tanith. "Then the min one is tomorrow night for Halloween"  
"Right, it's nearly that now, come on"  
  
They all got into the car and before they left the studios, he pulled up at the office and went inside. A few minutes later, he came out and had a bag with him. Putting it in the boot, he got back in and they drove off towards the house. He knew where it was, he had seen the gates to it several times when he was driving to the set.  
  
Oded woke up, his head pounded, his vision blurred, as his vision focused, he found he was tied up and in a large bedroom. A man was sitting beside him in a chair.  
  
"Where am I?" he asked.  
"Good, you're awake. We wanted you to enjoy your experience tonight nd tomorrow" said the man.  
"What the hell do you mean, let me go"  
  
The man went and stood over Oded, he was dressed in the red robes. He grinned at him.  
  
"You're going to take part in our ritual tonight, to celebrate Halloween. Our master will be very pleased, then tomorrow you will be a sacrifice to him"  
"Sacrifice….master…who are you?"   
  
He was scared anyway but this was scaring him even more. What were they going to do to him.  
  
"You're going to be a sacrifice to our master, Satan. Isn't that exciting"  
  
Oded had tears in his eyes, he didn't want to die but he knew of no way out of this mess. No-one knew where he was and what terrified him more, was that he didn't know when he was going to die, in a few minutes, a few hours, days.  
  
"You're mad, let me go, please" he shouted struggling against the ropes.  
  
The other man outside had opened the door and entered the room, just in time to see the first one slap Oded hard across the face, to shut him up, making his lip bleed.  
  
"John, enough. We must not damage him. The master will not be pleased. He must be perfect till the time of his sacrifice comes"  
  
Oded laid back on the pillow, knowing that he could do nothing at the moment and wondering how long he was going to be kept there. Suddenly the door opened and two other men came in and between them they dragged Oded out of the bedroom and down the stairs to the waiting group in the hall.   
He was pulled into the middle and with a knife in his back, made to follow the first 6 people, with the others behind him. They made their way out of the house and down the small lane to the left of the front door towards the woods.  
They went deep into the woods where a large fire was burning. Oded was tied between to posts beside a large flat-toped rock. Then he had to watch while the group all knelt round the altar that had been erected on the other side of the stone.  
  
Steven turned off the main road, down a little lane for about a mile, then on the left was a pair of large gates with dragoons on the top. They were open and he turned into the drive that led up to the house. He turned off the lights to the car and just used the moonlight to see his way.  
  
"Why have you turned off the lights?" asked John.  
"If they have got him in there, the last thing we want to do is advertise the fact we are coming. This way we can get into the house, hopfully without being seen. We'll park in these trees and walk up the rest of the way."  
  
Parking the car in between two large oak trees, they got out and quietly made their way up to the house. The front door was open and they looked around before entering.  
  
"Arnold, go and have a look over there, John that room, Tanith you come with me" said steven.  
  
Slowly they looked in all the downstairs rooms but no-one was there. Arnold called them over and they walked into the big room where part of the ritual had taken place.  
  
"My god, look at this place, what the hell are they into" said John.  
"The black arts" replied Tanith "The most evil of all witchcraft. We have to find Oded"  
"I don't believe in all that, it's just to scare people. A bit like the scripts to the films."  
"Well, I dare you to take the book of the dead to the British Museum and try it out" said Tanith.  
  
John huffed and walked over to the stairs. They followed and crept up them, making sure no-one was ahead of them or behind them. Searching all the rooms, they found where someone had been tied up and them Arnold came over and said he had found an empty room across the hall with diagrams all over it.  
  
"They are pentagrams" said Tanith." I know because I am a witch, but only in the nature side, it's called wicca. We don't touch this stuff but we know what the symbols mean"  
  
As they stood in the room, a cold wind blew through, so cold that it made their breath instantly seen in the air. The lights flickered and then went out. Tanith stood a bit closer to Arnold. They all looked round thinking someone had found them and turned out the lights.  
A blue mist rose out of the middle of the pentagram, swirling around and taking a form. A sickening smell also entered the room. A face appeared in the form, about 6 foot high with black eyes. Suddenly they turned red and instinct told them not to look at it.  
  
"What the hell is that?" shouted Steven above the wind in the room.  
"A servant of the devil" said Tanith "Try and get out of the room"  
  
They tried to walk out but the wind stopped them and the door slammed shut. Arnold tried to get to the door but a bolt of something sent him sprawling across the floor and into the wall. Tanith managed to get to him, he was holding his head that he had hit on the side of the fireplace.  
  
"Pray" shouted Steven "Anything, it might work"  
  
he and John shouted the Lords prayer and suddenly the creature screamed and disappeared through the pentagram. The wind ceased and the door opened.  
  
"Arnold you alright" asked John hurrying over.  
"I think so," he said trying to get up.  
  
He swayed and held onto the fireplace, Tanith put her arm round him and between her and John they managed to get him down the stairs and outside.   
  
"I take it back, I have never been so scared in all my life" said John.  
"Yeah and we still haven't found Oded" replied Steven.  
"Listen, chanting, coming from over there" said John.  
  
They listened and sure enough, there was something going on in the woods. They made their way through the trees till they saw a large fire burning with people dancing round it. Making their way closer, they hid behind a couple of big trees and watched.  
The coven was dancing, singing and generally worshipping something on the other side of the fire. They couldn't quite make it out so carefully made their way closer without being seen.  
  
"What is that smell?" asked Arnold his head clearing a bit now.  
"Smells like sulphur" said Steven. "Look…that thing on the large rock"  
"What on earth is it?" asked John.  
"It's the cloven hoofed devil"  
  
As they watched, it became clearer, a large bearded head with red, slitted eyes and cloven hoofs. On its head were two large horns. The men and women danced and bowed to it, which in turn clipped its hooves together.  
  
"Look, there's Oded, on the right of the thing, between those two posts"  
  
They all looked to where John pointed and saw Oded, tied to these two large posts by his wrists. He looked petrified, even in the light of the fire.  
Oded had seen what had been going on and then they had all bowed to this rock, chanted in a language that he didn't understand. Suddenly this thing appeared, a goat, with the body of a man, cloven hoofs and horns. He was petrified, then one of the group, Kat, came over and forced him to drink some liquid in a goblet.  
He tried to refuse but a man came over and held his mouth open while she poured this stuff in. it was vile but he had no choice but to swallow it. Within minutes he was having difficulty seeing, his head swam but he was feeling aroused by what was happening.  
One of the girls, came over and because they had dressed him in a white robe, she ran her hands up his body. His mind was screaming for her to stop but his body had different ideas. As she reached his mouth, she kissed him, and he suddenly wished he wasn't tied up, he needed her.  
His mind told him that it was whatever had been in the goblet that was causing this, but the longer she touched him, the more that thought disappeared and the more he wanted to have her. She ground her body against him and he felt himself releasing, trying to scream out but a mouth on his stopped him.   
Vaguely he looked to his left and saw the thing on the rock getting excited by the sight. He blacked out.  
  
"We have to get him away from here and fast" said Arnold.  
"but we can't just rush in" replied Tanith "Not with that thing there, remember the house"  
"I know, we'll get the car, drive through them, while they are drunk on whatever it is they are taking. Grab Oded and drive off" said Steven.  
"What is this, a new movie" said John "This is real and after what happened earlier, I say we go and get help first"  
"It could be too late by then" said Arnold.  
  
Steven and the others made their way back to the car and starting the engine, slowly drove it up the track to where the ritual was taking place. Before they had actually got in the car, Steven had got an empty bottle out of the boot and filling it with some petrol out of a can, stuffed a rag in the top of it.  
  
"what on earth are you going to do with that?" asked Tanith.  
"When we drive through them, we have to create a diversion. Arnold and John can get Oded, you can light this and throw it in the middle of the group. Then we drive like mad out of here"  
  
Tanith didn't like the idea but she couldn't lift Oded. She agreed but wasn't happy about it. As they got nearer, Steven put his foot down and they raced into the circle, right beside where Oded was tied up. Tanith lit the rag with her lighter and threw it at the rock as Arnold and John jumped out, cut Oded down and bundled him into the car. They drove off at high speed and were out of the gates before the group realised what had happened.  
  
"How is he?" asked Steven.  
  
John was in the front, Arnold in the back with Tanith and Oded. He was between them, with his head on Taniths lap.  
  
"He is still out. Where are we going?" asked Tanith.  
"Well, they will assume we are going back to the hotel, but we will go to the David Lean building. There will no-one at the studios now. It's comfortable in there, we can decide what to do from there" said Steven.  
  
Getting into the studios. They found that there was no-one there.  
  
"Arnold, John, you take him upstairs to the lounge and get him cleaned up. Me and Tanith will make some coffee, I need one"  
  
Tanith let them do this, it would be embarrassing for Oded if he woke up and found her undressing him.  
  
"Why come back here Steve?" she asked.  
"Gut feeling, I think they will try and get him back. If they don't know where to look, by tomorrow night it will be too late"  
"How do we stop them?" she asked lighting a cigerette.  
"After what I have seen tonight, I have no idea. Scripts, movie magic, stories are my line. Not what went on at that house and in those woods, that was real"  
"He's on the couch up there, John is with him. He hasn't come round yet though" said Arnold coming in.  
  
Steven was phoning someone on his mobile. They heard him mention Jack, then as Tanith poured Arnold a coffee, he shouted at whoever was on the other end.  
  
"Yes Jack…..the one on black arts…..the big one…I want it here, yesterday…..don't ask any questions….please just do it"  
  
He hung up and went over to the others. They looked at him puzzled.  
  
"That was Jack, a good friend at the British library, he didn't appreciate me calling him at 1am but there is a book of black arts there. He is going to get it and bring it here. He will ring me when he is outside"  
  
"Why do you want a book about black magic?" asked Arnold.  
"I think I know. We need to know what we are up against, right?"  
  
Steve nodded as they went up to where John and Oded were. Tanith went and sat with him while John got his drink. He seemed okay generally, a little cut on his mouth, but it must have been whatever was in that goblet that was keeping him unconscious. They all sat down and waited for Jack to phone and keep a listen out for anything else that may occur.  
The group was taken unawares when the car drove through them and when a fireball erupted in front of their master and Oded was taken. They gathered themselves together and went back to the house. Count Alucard was fuming.  
  
"We have to get him back. We are half way through the ritual we need him." He said.  
"How, we don't know where they have taken him" replied Kat.  
"There are only two places he could be, one is the hotel and the other is the studios. I would lay bets on the latter" he said.  
"So now what do we do?"  
"We leave it till morning and go and get him. I can get in the studios quite easily then and with this, he will come of his own accord"  
  
He held up a large blue crystal on a chain, he told them that one look at the stone and he wouldn't be able to take his eyes off it.  
Oded was coming round and he jumped up as he became aware of things.  
  
"Take it easy, you're safe" said Tanith grabbing his arm.  
"God, I thought I was dead for sure. How did you know where I was?"  
  
He drank the coffee that Arnold gave him aa they told him all that had happened. Suddenly the phone rang and Steven disappeared out of the room.   
  
"We'll go with him, just in case" said Arnold pulling John.  
"We will, oh, right, yes"  
  
Tanith sat beside Oded and put her arm round him when she saw he was shaking, she felt him relax as she rubbed his back.  
  
"Okay?"  
"Yes, I think so, I was so scared. Why are we here?"  
"Steve thinks we will be safer than at the hotel"  
"What do you mean….safer" he asked.  
"We think they may try and get you back for the main ritual tonight"  
  
Oded got up and walked over to the window, he still felt a bit dizzy from that stuff but he knew it would be nothing if they took him back there. He asked her why she had been so worried about him.  
  
"I care about you, I've always liked you since the first film, then I met you last year with Arnold. Decided to come here for the convention, I knew you and Arnold would be here"  
"I thought I recognised you at the hotel, I saw you with Arnold. Thanks I think I owe you my life tonight"  
"It wasn't just me, the others had a large part in it and don't thank us yet, it's not over"  
  
Steven came back in with the others and carried a large book. Bound in black leather, with gold writing on it. He laid it on the table and they looked at it. An hour later, they were beginning to wish they had not started. The rituals that went on at these things were hair-raising and frightening.  
  
"Right, we can protect ourselves here. But I need some things. Hopefully they should all be found in the costume department here at the studios. I write down what I want"  
  
When they had a list, Tanith and Arnold went over to where all the costumes and props were kept for all sorts of films and started to look for what Steve had written down. After an hour they had everything they thought. Candles, horseshoes, chalk, wax and a few other bits. Just before they left, she saw Arnold sitting on the chair with his head in his hands, she went over.  
  
"Arnold, what's wrong?"  
"I don't know, I feel funny, as though someone is trying to speak to me, in my head."  
"Fight it Arnold, it's Alucard, he must have found out that he can speak through you. Concentrate on something else, don't let him get in"  
  
He tried to think of other things, the upcoming film, the scripts, anything but it wasn't working, he could still hear them, telling him to bring Oded to them. Tanith thought she would try something, it might work. She pulled him up and took him in a kiss. It certainly took him by surprise and then he responded to it, their kiss becoming more intense. The voices faded and disappeared.  
  
"Have they gone?" she asked after a few minutes.  
"Yes, that certainly worked" he replied.  
  
She went to get the stuff and leave when he pulled her into another kiss, her arms went round his neck and they stood there for a few minutes.  
  
"Sorry, I couldn't resist" he said.  
"That's okay, I enjoyed it, come on" she said touching his cheek with her hand and smiling.  
  
They went back to the others and she place the things on the table. Steve had found some pillows and laid them on the floor, which they had cleared.  
  
"What are we doing?" asked Tanith.  
"Making a circle of protection, then we will all sit in it and wait"  
  
They measured out a circle on the floor with one on the inside of that. In between the circles, he chalked in an inscription form the book. In Nomina Pa – tris et Fi – lii et Spiritus – Sancti – El Elohym – Sother – Emmanual – Sabaoth – Agia – Tetragammaton – Aryos – Otheos – Ischiros, then added little symbols round them. He put melted wax round the windows and doors. Then he drew a five pointed star and put a lit candle at each point.  
  
"This is crazy" said Oded "how can this help, why don't we just drive miles away"  
"Because they would still have a hold on you. This way we stop them" said Steven. "They have already tried to get to you through Arnold"  
"Yeah but we can't sit here till tonight, that's hours" said John.  
"You can go if you want, it's Oded we are protecting" said Steve.  
"No, I'll stay, I'd be too worried about what was happening if I left"  
  
Alucard had driven round to the studios and using his magic had got in quite easily. He saw the car parked by the David Lean building and knew where they were. He made his way to the door and entered. It was empty downstairs so he climbed the stairs. He wouldn't just rush in, he would send them a little present first.  
  
"What's that noise?" asked Tanith "Sounds like horses"  
"Don't be sill" said John "We're on the 3rd floor"  
"No, she's right, I can hear them too" replied Oded.  
  
Suddenly the door opened and four horsemen came in, they were illusions but they seemed very real.  
  
"Don't look at their faces" said Steven "You will die if you do, they can't go back without taking someone with them."  
  
They all kept their faces down and tried not to look in their eyes. Suddenly a voice was heard from the door and a caretaker had seen a man lurking around that he didn't know and followed him to the room. He saw the horsemen and wondered what on earth was going on.  
  
"What the hell are you doing with horses up here" he shouted.  
  
The horsemen turned round and looked at him. He didn't know who they were so faced them. Steve shouted at him not to look at their eyes but it was too late. He screamed as he died and they disappeared. Alucard was fuming that he had interfered. Oded and Arnold jumped up and went to run to the man, but Steven called them back.  
  
"It's too late for him, in a way he saved us from being taken"  
"This is stupid" said Oded. "I am not being responsible for other people getting killed to stop me from being taken back there. I have to live with that"  
"We all have to live with it. Please Oded, sit down, you too Arnold" said Tanith.  
  
As they sat back down, Alucard came into the room. They stood up and faced him, knowing who he was from the night before.  
  
"We are wasting your time Alucard" said Arnold "we won't let you take him back"  
"Ah, you are the one I almost got through to earlier, something blocked my thoughts." He said.  
"Yes, I kissed him" replied Tanith "Love is stronger than evil"  
"You think that silly little circle will protect you and keep me from Oded, you are mistaken"  
  
Steve told them to hold hands and say a prayer, any prayer to help the circles protection. Alucard laughed and raising his hands, spoke words they didn't understand. They found they couldn't move, no matter how much they tried. Then the man closed his eyes and spoke something else, the chalk circle broke and pushed apart.   
When it was far enough away, he stepped into the circle and took out the blue stone. Holding it in front of Oded he spoke.  
  
"You are in my power, you will come with me, willingly. You do not need these people. Your destiny lies at the house and with your master. Do you understand?"  
"I understand" replied Oded.  
  
His mind was becoming totally blank, he could think straight, all he could see was this blue light. Then he heard Alucard call him and tell him to follow him. He stepped out of the circle and went out of the door with him.  
The others tried to call him and go after him, but they couldn't do anything. It was half hour before the spell that Alucard had put on them broke and they could move. They ran down the stairs and out of the door. But there was no-one to be seen.  
  
"Damn, they have got him, we have to return to that house" said John.  
"Brave talk John, but we can't rush in, we know now what we are up against" said Steve "We have to plan and learn some stuff of our own. He will be safe till tonight"  
"We can't wait all that time, he is in danger there" said Tanith.  
"Steve is right, he will be safe till tonight, that is when the ritual takes place"  
  
Tanith stood outside the place having a cigarette when Arnold came out to see where she was. He asked her if she was alright and that Steven was getting some stuff ready to go up to the house.  
  
"I'm fine. God what a mess, why haven't the police ever done something about these people?"  
"They're scared, most people would be with this sort of black magic. I know I am, especially after what I have seen over the last 24 hours. Come back Imhotep"  
"Yeah, he was relatively safe wasn't here" she laughed. "Come on. Let's get a drink and something to eat, it's going to be a long night"  
"Tanith, can I ask you something, when Alucard came for Oded, you said love had stopped him getting to me. What did you mean?"  
"Nothing, just a phrase I used" she replied going into the building.  
  
Arnold watched her and was determined to find out was she really meant, he knew she hadn't told him the truth. They finished eating and got some rest before leaving. They wouldn't go until it got dark, about 6pm.  
Oded found himself tied to the alter in the big room by his wrists and ankles. He wasn't under the influence of the blue stone now and wondered what was going to happen to him. He looked around the room, at least at what he could see being tied up. There was a bigger altar behind him, with an upside down cross and black candles. A big pentagram hung above it with the devils face in the centre.  
He felt sick, he had been in films, fought with swords, guns, served in the forces in his own country and yet he had never been so scared in his life as he was then. He hoped that the others would be able to do something.  
Steve woke up and looked at his watch, it was just after 6. he got up and woke the others. They had all gone to sleep in the big armchairs and when they got up, they wished they hadn't.  
  
"Come on, let's go. We have to get in the house and get Oded out. Not so simple I doubt, they will waiting for us this time. Tanith and Arnold, you go in the front, we will go round the back. We'll take these pistols with us but we can't kill anyone, just use them to scare and then tie up whoever we find"  
  
They were there within 20 minutes and parked the car where they had the night before. Then they crept up to the house. Letting the others go round the house, Tanith and Arnold walked in the open front door.  
  
"It's open, maybe they are expecting us, let's be careful"  
  
They didn't get a chance to say anything else, some men grabbed them from behind the door. They were too strong for Tanith but Arnold fought them and tried to get the better of them but one of them hit him over the head with a candlestick, that was standing on a table. Tanith shouted to him but it was too late, he crumpled to the floor.  
They dragged them into the big room and pushed them down in the corner. Arnold had a gash on his head and was out cold. Tanith pulled him closer to her and wondered if he was going to be alright. Looking up, she saw Oded on the altar, he had seen them being brought in and his heart sank as he saw Arnold laying on the floor.  
The group got ready and then Alucard entered the room. He looked at the two in the corner and smiled and told two of the men to watch them. Then he walked over to the altar. He lit the candles and bowed his head to the cross and then turning round, stood before Oded.  
  
"In the name of Satan, ruler of the earth, the king of the world, I command the forces of darkness to bestow their infernal power upon us. Open the gates of Hell and come forth from the abyss to greet me as your brother and friend. Grant the indulgences of which I speak. I have taken they name as a part of myself. I live as the beasts of the field, rejoicing in the fleshy life. I favor the just and curse the rotten. By all the Gods of the pits, I command that these things of which I speak shall come to pass. Bless this sacrifice of which I now give you"  
  
Before anyone could have done anything, he brought a dagger up and above Oded and brought it down, straight through his chest. He screamed and then his body went limp. The rest of the group cheered and clapped and then started chanting. The vision of the devil appeared in the corner, the one from the woods and clicked his hooves together.  
Tanith screamed and tried to wake Arnold, he moaned and opened his eyes. She shook him and pointed to the altar. Struggling to get up, he saw what they had done but his head swam and he knew he would be no use at the moment. He leant against Tanith, who held him as tears rolled down her face. Suddenly the door burst open and in came Steve and John, they stopped dead when they saw what had happened.  
  
"Ahh, come to join the group my friends. You see you are too late, he is already dead and sacrificed to the master"  
"You bastard, why?" yelled John.  
  
Alucard went to speak but was suddenly stopped in his tracks. Oded was getting off the altar, he stood there and looked down at the blood on his chest coming from the knife wound. A golden glow surrounded him and the group went on their knees in fear.   
Looking down, he touched the wound with his hand and it healed up. There was no trace of anything. Then he walked through the group, looked at Alucard and then to Tanith and the others. He spoke, not as Oded but in a soft almost angelic voice, the group gasped and cowered down.  
  
"I am a Lord of Light and come here because your need was great. One here has used hidden things to invoke evil. The love you bear each other has been a barrier and protection, but it would have done you no good if it hadn't been for my Mother. I am permitted to appear to you in the body of this man, whose thoughts know of no impurity. When I am gone he will still live but will remember nothing of this. Live out the days of your life, peace be on you and about you. The beast has been driven back to the Halls of the Underworld and shall trouble you no more. Bless you all"  
  
The glow went and Oded fell to the floor. Steve and John ran to him and felt his pulse, it was strong and there was no sign of any knife wound. They picked him up and carried him over to the others.  
Suddenly the place erupted in flames, and they had to get out of there quick. Picking up Oded and with Tanith helping Arnold, they ran for the front door and ran out into the night air. Looking back they saw the place engulfed in flames, a lot quicker than it normally would have done.  
There were screams from inside as the servants of Satan were trapped in the room. They watched as the whole place collapsed on itself and it was silent except for the crackling of flames.  
Oded was coming round and asked what he was doing there. They asked him if he remembered anything and he said the last thing was looking at that blue stone that Alucard held. He wanted to know what happened to Arnold.  
  
"I'll be alright, just dizzy that's all" he replied as Tanith put an arm round him.  
"Come on, let's get out of here. We'll go back to the hotel this time, we all need a stiff drink" said Steve.  
  
Oded and John walked to the car. Tanith grabbed Steve by the arm and asked if they should tell Oded about what happened in there.  
  
"I don't think so, nothing can be gained by it, as far as he is concerned, we got him out before anything did happen."  
  
They agreed and followed the others to the car. Back at the hotel, they all went up to Steves room and had that drink he promised them. Tanith took Arnold into the bathroom to see to the gash on his head. It was soon washed and a plaster put on it. She handed him some painkillers out of the cabinet and he took them with a glass of water. As she went to leave, he grabbed her.   
  
"Now are you going to tell me what you meant last night, the truth now"  
  
She sighed and took him in a searing kiss, which lasted for a while. When they broke for air, she looked at him and smiled.  
  
"Does that answer your question sweetheart?" she asked.  
"Yes, it does. Do you really mean you love me?" he asked.  
"I think you could safely say that"  
"What about Oded, I thought you were in love with him?"  
"I said I cared about him, you are the one I love. Come on, let's join the others, put tonight behind us"  
  
They all toasted each other and Oded thanked them for rescuing him and smiled when he saw Arnold with his arm round Tanith. This was going to be a good weekend after all.   



End file.
